New Spinal Implant Helps Paraplegics Exercise Paralyzed Limbs

A microchip small enough to be implanted into the spinal canal incorporates electrodes and a muscle stimulator that will enable people to exercise their paralyzed leg muscles.

Developed by researchers at University College London (UCL; United Kingdom), Freiburg University (Germany), and the Tyndall Institute (Cork, Ireland), the microchips are manufactured using laser processing technology that cuts the tiny electrodes from platinum foil. These are then folded into a three-dimensional (3D) shape, which resemble the pages of a book, earning the device the name of the Active Book. The "pages" are microwelded to a silicon chip, which is hermetically sealed to protect against water penetration close in around the nerve roots.

The Active Book, which is the size of a small fingernail, will be made available for pilot studies during 2011. The device could also be used for a wide range of restorative functions, such as stimulating bladder muscles to help overcome incontinence and stimulating nerves to improve bowel capacity and suppress spasms. Details of the spinal implant were released by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC, Swindon, United Kingdom), which is funding the project.

"The work has the potential to stimulate more muscle groups than is currently possible with existing technology because a number of these devices can be implanted into the spinal canal,” said Prof. Andreas Demosthenous, PhD, of UCL. "Stimulation of more muscle groups means users can perform enough movement to carry out controlled exercise such as cycling or rowing.”

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University College London
Freiburg University
Tyndall Institute
Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council